The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-04-07
"ALL RlGHTi"
What Bill, a Brave ShIp-Boy, Brought
Away from the Wreck Of the Mermaid
.'Zip," the Captains Pet.

What Bill, a Brave Ship-Boy, Brought
Away from the Wreck of the Mermaid
"Zip," the Captains Pet.
"We'll be driven ashore in less than
five minutes, and then may God have
mercy upon us, for the rocks will have
none!'
So muttered through his clinched
teeth Gas he strained his eyes through
the binding spray to catch the dim
loom of the cliffs right ahead) the cap
tain of the trading brig Mermaid, home
ward bound to London from the Brazil |
ian port of Pernambuco.
1t was indeed all over with the poor |
old brig Both her masts were gone, |
her wheel and stccring-gcar had been
carried away, and tremendous sea
was sweeping her straight toward the
widest and rockicst part of the south
west coast of England. For himself
Captain Barrett would have cared lit
tie, accustomed rs he was to face every
kind of danger without flinching: but
his wife and her little girl were on
board along with him; and what was to
become of them?
Close by the captains side, clnging
as tightly as his benumbed and cramped
fingers would let him to the jagged
stump of the mainmast (behind which
Mrs. Barrett and her child had been
placed for shelter). stood Bill. the cab
in-boy-a bright-eyed, curly-haired lit
tie fellow, barely ten years old. The
kind-hearted captain had found him
wandering disconsolately about the
East India Docks, ragged and hungry;
and remembering the time when he
| himself had been just such poor and
| fricndless boy, had taken the forlorn
lad aboard the Mermaid, where he had
remained ever since.
Bill was much better off than most
ship-boys, for instead of being starved
and beaten, as they usually were in
those rough days, he was made regu-
lar pet both by the captain and the
crew. But he was not their only IA
vorite. for Captain Barrett had brought
back from Brazil queer little South
American raccoon, not much bigger
than rat. and looking very like one,
with its long, sharp snout and sleek
brown coat. All through the homeward
voyage, Zip, as the coon was called,
was the chosen playmate of the sailors,
who were never tired of running about
the forecastle with him, or feeding him
on pieces of softened biscuit. But now,
when every man on board expected to
be struggling for his life within a few
minutes, poor Zip seemed likely to be
left to take care of himself, and to have
but poor chance of escape.
Suddenly Bill was seen to leave his
place, and to pick his way like rope
dancer across the rocking, reeling deck,
over which the furious sea broke every
moment in roaring waterfalls of foam.
One would hardly have thought the lit
tie cabin-boy likely to possess any
treasure for which he would care to
risk his life; but it was plain enough
that he did. for when he got back to
his place (after venturing down to the
lower deck) he had something buttoned
up inside his jacket, of which he SEEM
ed to be very careful indeed.
He was barely in time, for scarcely
, had he caught hold of the broken mast
once more when the doomed vessel was
, suddenly whirled upward on the crest
. of an enormous wave, as if she were be-
ing flung up into the very sky. Their
she flew forward with amazing swift
, ness, and tremendous crash was
heard as her bow was driven hard and
fast between two low jagged rocks.
/ The shock threw all on board of
their feet, and they clung in despera
, ton to whatever they could seize, a
D the waves poured over the stern like ,
0 cataract. For q moment 1t seemed a
if the whole vessel must go to piece
q Mt once; but no--she held firm, AM
!. there was still Il chance for life.
O But what was to be done next? The,
G were indeed only very little way fron
4 the land; but how were they to reacl
t it? The only plan was for some one t.
!. swim ashore with II rope; and this. il
f the teeth of the great seas that cam
e laundering in every moment, woul'
G be us deadly a venture as to charg
: through a shower of cannon-balls.
g But help was at hand. The drifting
h wreck had long since been descrie
n from the shore, and suddenly a brigll
d flash shot out from the brow of tn
= cliff, and something like fiery sta
il came kissing toward the stranded bri
% through the darkness which the tir'
pale CLEAN of dawn was just beginnin
to pierce. 1t was rocket with rol
o attached to it.
Is Such was the fury of the storm thu
v the messenger of safety all but misse
>, its mark. The line fell just upon II
It shattered bow. and would have droI
70 ped off into the sea in another instal
had not one of the sailors sprung TO